Thursday, June 5, 2014

On Brad Butts and Operation Write Home

Oh, how I wish this post were about Brad Pitt's butt, but it's not. The title would read "On Brad's Butt..." and then you'd wonder what, indeed, is on Brad's butt. Alas, this post refers to paper fastener brads, whose butts are not nearly as potentially interesting as Brad's.

Not that I've ever seen Brad's butt. But still.

Today's card isn't a folded card. It consists of three single panels bound together by brads. And it's patriotic and perfect for Operation Write Home. See?



I recently purchased a set from My Favorite Things called First Class Friend, which is perfect for military/patriotic themed cards such as I send to Operation Write Home. While it was sitting on my desk, I saw a brochure in 1,000 Greetings that had a Japanese stab binding. I thought, huh. What if I put three different sized panels together with something simple, like brads? They're so much easier than Japanese stab binding.

Really, though, for something like this, Japanese stab binding would be pretty easy. The brads are just a sign that I'm epically lazy.

And you can see the result. The fonts are so military, and that adorable right-angle arrow seemed perfect for this design. The brads match the ink better in real life. The base panel is the standard 4.25" x 5.5", the middle panel is 4.25" x 4.5", and the top panel is 4.25" x 3.5". The top two panels were scored together on a ScorPal for easier opening, and the brad holes were punched with a 1/16" hole punch.

And now for the butts. My original plan was to cut a narrow strip of card stock to cover the brad butts on the back of the card. When I finished the card, however, the butts didn't bother me nearly as much as they would have had they been inside the card, where their presence makes me break out in hives.

What is happening to my chronic OCD? I don't know, but I've left the butts exposed, as it were. Let's conduct an informal poll to see who would cover them, and who would not. Where do you stand on exposed brad butts on the BACK of cards? Because seriously, no one would leave an exposed brad butt on the inside of a card. That would be wrong.

Terribly wrong.

Supplies
stamps: MFT First Class Friend
ink: Memento
paper: Neenah 80lb solar white
accessories: brads, 1/16" hole punch

19 comments:

  1. What a great card! Exposed butts and all!!!
    I agree...since they are on the back of the card, they need no cover.
    Lu C

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  2. This is fantastic! I love how lately you've been branching out but retaining your style!

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  3. Definitely cover exposed butts wherever they are!!

    On another subject, I'm an OWHer, too, and I really liked the First Class Stamp set you used on the card. When I searched for it, though, all I could find was the dies by the same name...and this was on the MFTstamps site.

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  4. Priscilla, I bought mine at a brick and mortar...so no telling how old it is. I noticed that it's NOT on the MFT site, but it was on a couple of online store sites, so you might still find it.

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  5. As long as they are on the back of a card, I don't think that I would care.

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  6. Knowing how I am regarding exposed butts, I'd likely cover them. I have this thing about (brad) butts getting caught on stuff. However, in the spirit of relinquishing control, I'll have to make a card and see how it makes me feel when the butts are on the outside.

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  7. Great card, Susan. I would cover the "brad butts." I think it's the OCD in me.

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  9. Howdy! GREAT card! As for brad butts on the BACK - no problem...I would leave 'em exposed. Happy Friday! hugs, Sherry

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  10. The sight of them on the back of the card wouldn't bother me the way it would on the inside of the card, but I'd probably cover them anyway - just in case they poked a hole in the envelope or somehow tore the envelope when it was in the mail. If I was hand-delivering, I wouldn't worry.

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  11. I would not cover them because I'm lazy, I mean busy. Plus, I figure most people do not noticed details like that. This is one terrific card. The font is spot on perfect for the destination.

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  12. I am fine with them exposed. For those who are not, I would be interested to know how they would cover them.

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  13. Nice card! I have no problem with exposed brad butts on the back of the card.

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  14. OK...here's what I think I would do as I like a finished look to cards: I'd put the brad through the first two layers, open the brad flaps to expose the "butts" behind the 2nd layer, then I'd run a strip of red sticky tape down the length of the 2nd layer on the side of the brad butts then adhere the 3rd layer over them =)...but I'm thinking those OWH recipients are as happy as clams to get their handmade cards and really don't care much about the backs of their cards!

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  15. Ahem. They aren't butts, they are LEGS! Brad LEGS! And I'd leave them uncovered on the back of a card.

    I'd use a raised panel on the front of a card so no legs were visible.

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  16. I think bare butts on the back are fine. NEVER on the inside!

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Thank you so much for taking time to comment!